


Of Puzzling Love Letters

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: A Monthly Rumbelling, F/M, First Date, Fluff, Non magic AU, Valentines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-22 15:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13767069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Rupert Gold isn’t sure if someone is playing a prank on him, but he has to admit that the sweet messages he’s received today have made him smile.





	1. Chapter 1

This was a puzzle. On the whole Gold enjoyed the mental challenge of puzzles. The satisfaction that came with completing a cryptic crossword, or the joy of working out why an antique music box had stopped playing were small pleasures in his day. This puzzle was like nothing he’d ever set his mind to before.

It had started this morning with the small envelope tucked under the wiper of his car. He pulled it free and noticed that it was a fine card stock, not the sort of thing an annoyed tenant would use to leave him a message. He’d been cautious about opening it because it wouldn’t be the first time that someone had decided to express their ire with itching powder by post. There was nothing unpleasant inside, just a little card. On one side there was a picture of a candy heart with the message, “Brainy is the new sexy”, and on the other side part of a larger heart with some words. He was sure the first word was ‘Join’, but he couldn’t know for certain unless he received more of the puzzle.

He’d not had to wait long, once he’d arrived at his shop he’d found another envelope waiting with the day’s mail. This time the candy heart read, “Every girl is crazy about a sharp dressed man”. He’d preened at that, he liked his suits, and it was nice to get a compliment about them. He did have to wonder who was complimenting his dress sense, but the little cards offered no clue as to the sender.

When put together the message on the reverse of the two cards now read; “Join me”. It was an invitation, but to where, and when with whom? His eye caught sight of the calendar sat on the end of his counter; February 14th. For a brief moment he entertained the idea that this was a sweet Valentine, but he shook the thought away with a wry laugh. Nobody had every considered him worth a card, or even a text message on this date. Somebody was clearly putting a lot of effort into a cruel prank. He swept the cards to one side, he wasn’t going to let anyone rile him over something as silly as Valentine’s Day.

His plan had been to throw the cards in the trash and forget all about them, but the niggle of an unsolved puzzle had him plucking them from the counter and dropping them into his pocket. After all, somebody had put some effort into this prank, it would be interesting to see how it played out, and of course should the prankster reveal themselves, he could make their lives hell as payback.

As he strolled to the diner for lunch he briefly entertained the possibility that this wasn’t a prank. There was one person in town who he would be over the moon to receive a Valentines from; Belle French. He scowled and growled to himself so fiercely that Archie jumped into the road rather than brush by him on the sidewalk. Gold would have apologised, but that would have startled the good doctor even more than being growled at, and probably would have encouraged him to offer an impromptu therapy session, since Gold had successfully avoided such well-meaning offers for the last three months he wasn’t keen to break his streak.

Belle wasn’t in Granny’s when he strolled in. It wasn’t a surprise, she’d mentioned that she was taking the day off. He’d not enquired as to her plans, the last thing he wanted to hear was that she was spending the allegedly most romantic day of the year with some muscle-bound hunk. That wasn’t fair, as far as he knew Belle wasn’t the sort to go for brawn over brain in her love life, but wasn’t that what beautiful young women were supposed to lust after? Still, Belle would enjoy hearing about the love letter puzzle he’d been faced with, they could share a laugh over it, and she would temper his retaliation, or encourage him depending on how cruel the final play was. He smiled to himself at that thought, everyone in town considered Belle to be a sweet little pushover, but she had a touch of darkness that Gold would readily admit he found very attractive. Well, not that he had anyone to admit it to, but if he did, that would be in the top ten things he found attractive about Belle French.

Lunch was the usual blend of being ignored and bickering with Granny about the price of pickles. His fingers told him there was something odd about the receipt that he’d picked up, but he wasn’t going to give anyone in the diner the satisfaction of looking at it while he was there. He didn’t think it would have been a good idea to open the little envelope inside until he was half way back to his shop. Had he looked at it at the diner he could have kept an eye out for a reaction, which would have given him a clue as to who was behind this strangeness. On the other hand, if he’d smiled and preened over this note’s compliment, he could have left himself open for public humiliation. Why did people do this to each other every year? This was a minefield of emotions and so bloody complicated. Maybe there was a course, or instruction book for Valentine’s Day that he’d missed out on. Nice thought, but highly unlikely, life was never that kind.

In the safety of his shop he opened the little envelope and smiled at the card; “Your smile lights up my day.” That was the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to him. The idea that seeing him smile could brighten someone’s day was breath taking. He refused to let the bitter idea that this was all part of a bad joke take that away from him. He’d deal with that comedown when the truth of this was revealed, but for now he made the rare decision to be happy. He was so happy that for a good half hour he forgot to turn the card over to read the next part of the message. An at sign and the letter T an O were all he got this time. That cold be ‘tonight’ or the start of a place. Toni’s would fit the bill. He might actually go if it was the restaurant, but he was expecting it to be a demand to met at the docks or some other unsavoury place, and he wasn’t going to be daft enough to attend a meeting that would likely get him beaten up.

He might have kept an ear out for the letterbox more than he usually would but wasn’t too disappointed when no other note was delivered. As he drove home he wondered if his mystery Valentine had come up with the perfect torture for him. He’d rather discovered that this was a joke than be left with a mystery. His pulse quickened as he climbed the stairs of his porch and to see a bouquet of roses waiting for him. There was a card tucking in among the flowers, and he opened it with trembling fingers. The candy heart read; “Be my Valentine?” and the text on the back said; “ni’s 7pm?”

Join me @ Toni’s 7pm?

If he rushed he could make it. Gold wasn’t one for snap decisions, but he found himself hurrying into his house to take a fast shower and pull on a clean suit. He hadn’t thought at all until he found himself in the carpark of Toni’s sliding one of the roses from his bouquet into his buttonhole. As he walked towards the door of the restaurant he weighted up the probability that this was a prank, against the fact that he was about to solve the mystery. Mystery solving won out by a narrow margin.

He stepped inside and glanced around the tables. Belle French stood up from a centre table, a matching rose in her hand.

“You came.”

Gold wasn’t sure how he crossed the floor to stand before her.

“The cards … that … that was you?”

She nodded; “Will you be my Valentine Rupert?”

He slowly reached out for her hand, he had to make sure she was real and not some sort of hallucination. Her fingers gently wrapped around his and a shudder of delight ran through him. He looked into her blue eyes and said; “Belle French, I would be honoured to be your Valentine.”

She giggled and tugged his hand to encourage him to take a seat.

“Now what ever you are going to order make sure to save room for desert. I may have bribed Toni to make us a portion of his special profiteroles.”

Gold had to swallow as his mouth watered; “You mean his only done for Christmas, special salted caramel profiteroles?”

“Oh yes.”

He whimpered; “Would it be a terrible breach of convention to start with desert?”

Belle squeezed his hand; “I like the way you think Rupert.”

Gold had no previous Valentines experience to compare this with, but he knew two things for absolute certain, this was the best Valentines Day ever, and he was going to have to pull out all of the stops to equal it next year.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bookwormchocaholic said:  
> ❝ i’m gentle with you because i love you. ❞ for Of Puzzling Love Letters verse. :)

Belle was worried that she’d broken Rupert. She’d not meant to blurt out those three words, but it was the truthful answer to his question, even if they had only been dating for three weeks. Now he was hiding in the backroom of his shop and she wasn’t sure if she should give him room to process or go and reassure him. She thumped her forehead with her fist, so much for being gentle. She took a slow, quiet breath and cocked an ear towards the curtain that separated the shop from the backroom. She couldn’t hear Rupert moving around. Leaving without letting him know didn’t feel right to her, so she would have to go and talk to him. If he wanted her to leave she would, but she was hoping that he would be willing to talk.

Only one way to find out.

She tapped on the wall since knocking on a curtain was pointless; “Rupert? Can I come in?”

The curtain twitched and was slowly drawn back. Rupert looked confused, but he licked his lips as if he was stealing himself to say something, so Belle waited.

“You’re gentle with me because … you love me?”

“Yes, Rupert.”

He reached for her hand with trembling fingers. She gave him a reassuring squeeze and traced circles over his thumb with hers.

“I’m … I don’t have a good track record with relationships, Belle. Those … that word … the L word scares me, because in my experience it goes horribly wrong.”

He finally lifted his eyes and met her gaze, unshed tears glisten on his eyelashes, and Belle just wanted to wrap him in her arms and protect him from the world.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to say that to you, but Belle I do care for you deeply.”

She made a little whimpering sound and moved into hug him. Rupert was tense in her arms until she softly said; “I care deeply for you Rupert.”

With that he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight to him and burying his head against her neck. It might not be a conventional way to express their feelings for each other, but it worked for them and that was all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> for the prompt Non-Smut: Love Letter, Candy Hearts, Chocolate, Roses, Blind Date


End file.
